Attorney Adviser

Summary The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office whose mission is to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability throughout the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In our dynamic environment, the OIG conducts investigations, audits, evaluations, and inspections to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency and to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement in DHS programs and operations. Qualifications BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have a first professional law degree (Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.)) obtained from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time the degree was obtained. Licensure: Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Supporting documentation must be included with the application package. In addition to applicants meeting the minimum education and licensure requirement, you must meet the below grade-level requirement of the Attorney position: To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 3 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-12 grade level. To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 4 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have at least 5 years of post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including the following, by closing date of this announcement:1.) Be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association at the time of graduation.2.) Be a current member of a bar with a valid license to practice law in a state or territory of the United States, District of Columbia or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education Education requirements include: Unofficial Transcripts must be submitted with your application packages. A professional law degree, J.D., LL.B., and /or LL.M. You must be a graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a current active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. for an attorney position. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. Special Instructions For Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. How You Will Be Evaluated Applicants will be rated based on their education, experience, demonstrated legal research and writing abilities, and performance during the interview process. Basis for evaluation: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your résumé and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position: Knowledge of research strategies and techniques sufficient to research the most complex legal issues. The issues researched are almost always factually complex and are in areas of the law which are often in a continual state of evolution, thus requiring atypical and innovative research strategies. Ability to communicate effectively with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics in writing clearly, concisely and persuasively, with particular emphasis on the ability to analyze and explain complex legal issues. Ability to communicate effectively orally with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics and independently present legal conclusions to adjudicatory authorities. Ability to maintain effective working and reporting relationships with professional peers, support staff and management officials. Ability to organize work effectively to meet established deadlines and priorities related to legal cases and matters. Please be advised that DHS-OIG Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures. You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications stated herein. We will perform an initial review of applications to determine basic eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position, and numeric scores will not be assigned. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the EEOC considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their application submission documentation. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Required Documents To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Your Resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES) showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of your qualifications, you will not receive consideration for the position. This position has a basic education requirement; you must submit a copy of your official or unofficial law school Transcripts for further consideration. An official transcript is required before being appointed. Proof of current and active BAR Membership in good standing. During the initial review of applications, the Agency will accept photocopies of BAR Membership Cards or screenshots providing proof of active membership in a BAR Association that reflects the bar's jurisdiction or territory, the attorney's full name, bar number, date of admission, and bar status (i.e. active, inactive, retired, etc.). Copy of one recent Legal Writing Sample, not to exceed 10 pages. Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable. Current or Former Federal Employees (if applicable) - please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" which preferably shows your current title, series and grade (do not submit an Award SF-50). If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade held, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade held. Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.) Current or Former Political Appointees (if applicable) - The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently or have been a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch within the last 5 years, you must disclose this in your application package. Failure to submit documents required may result in loss of consideration. How to Apply To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account and follow the prompts or log in to your existing account. Your application packet must include a completed assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional information. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English. If you are unable to apply online or need to submit a document you do not have in electronic form, visit this link for more information regarding an alternate application process. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used. You must submit your resume, your online questionnaire, and any supporting documents by 11:59PM EST on 01/25/2027. It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.